BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

THE LEADING CITIZENS OF MADISON COUNTY

CONTENTS
Preface
Names Index
Portrait Index

CONRAD INGALLS, a prosperous and practical farmer of Smithfield, is pleasantly located in District No. 10, where he owns upward of two hundred acres of valuable land, which is well improved and amply supplied with convenient and substantial farm buildings. He is a native of Madison County, born in Lenox, December 29, 1818, a son of James and Annie (Moot) Ingalls. On the paternal side our subject is of English descent. His grandfather, Joseph Ingalls, a native of England, emigrated to America in the eighteenth century, settling in Connecticut. He at once identified himself with the welfare of his adopted country, and during the Revolutionary War served as Captain in the army. He died when in the prime of life, at the early age of forty years, leaving two sons and three daughters.
   On his mother's side our subject is of German ancestry, his grandfather,
Conrad Moot, having been the son of one John Moot, who was born in Germany, and came to America in 1750. John Moot left his native land in May, and crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, being on the water more than six months, not touching shore until December 25, the same year. He was then a boy of sixteen, without money, obliged to work out his passage; and the
officers of the vessel sold his time for five years. He settled in New York,
and there married, subsequently taking up land from the government in
Rensselaer County, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying at the age
of eighty years. He had a family of five children, none of whom are now living.
   James Ingalls, father of our subject, was born in Connecticut; but from the
time he was three years old lived with an uncle in Columbia County, this
State. He had inherited much of the energy and enterprise of his forefathers,
and on attaining his majority started out to make for himself a home, if not
a fortune. Accordingly, in 1807 he came to Madison County, and took up new land from the government in Lenox. The present town site was then a wilderness, with an occasional clearing in which the smoke of some pioneer's
cabin could be seen. Railroads had never been heard of. Canals and public
highways were conspicuous only by their absence, the necessary journeys to
mill and market being made on horseback over a road marked by blazed trees. He erected a log cabin, in which he installed his wife, formerly Annie Moot, as mistress; and the family subsisted on the food they raised or the game found in the forests. The wife and mother ably did her part in caring for the household, being kept busy in carding, spinning, and weaving the homespun
from which she fashioned the garments of the family. He labored unceasingly,
improving his land, doing a good business as general farmer and stockraiser.
He and his wife spent their last years on the homestead, where they died at
the ages of eighty-two and eighty-three years, respectively. Both were worthy people and lived true Christian lives, being consistent members of the Universalist church. In politics Mr. Ingalls was a Whig. They reared five
sons and one daughter, of whom the following are living: James and Joseph,
who live in Lenox; and our subject.
   Conrad Ingalls received his education in the district schools of his native town, and commenced the duties of life at an early age by assisting his father on the farm. He continued at home thus engaged until thirty-two years of age. In 1851 he was united in marriage with Lydia Jane Tucker, a native of Lenox, born in 1826, a daughter of Eli and Eleanor Tucker, both of whom are now deceased. Mr. Tucker was a shoe-dealer in the town of Lenox, and a respected citizen of that place. Three years after his marriage our subject came to Smithfield, and bought a tract of land, containing fifty-six acres, which constitutes a part of his present homestead. He began farming on a small scale, but, as time progressed, increased his business and continued to add to his landed estate, until now he has a rich and productive farm of two hundred and ten acres, all under excellent cultivation. He carries on general farming and dairying, having from twenty to thirty good cows. He makes a specialty of raising hay, and is ranked among the progressive and successful agriculturists of his county. To Mr. and Mrs. Ingalls have been born three children: Albert, who is married, and lives at home; Willis A., married, and lives in McGrawville, Cortland County; Owen, who is a civil engineer, residing in the District of Columbia. Politically, our subject is a steadfast Republican, and a man of influence in his Community, which he has served for four years as Assessor and for two years as Road Commissioner. Mrs. Ingalls is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.